AGRIBUSINESS: Urban agriculture and food security.

AGRIBUSINESS: Urban agriculture and food security. Urban agriculture is simply the growing of plants and the raising of animals within and around cities. The most striking feature of urban agriculture that sets it apart from from rural agriculture, is that it is integrated into the urban economic and ecological system. Urban agriculture can be aptly termed city farming or city agriculture. Urban agriculture usually takes place in locations within the cities that is intra-urban or around the city termed peri-urban areas. The capacity /intensity of activities depends on space. as the venture can be practiced within living quarters such as on a on-plot of land or on land away from the residence (off-plot), on land owned or leased and on public space such as parks, conservation areas, along roads,,sidewalks streams ,alleys or semi-public land like schools, and hospitals. AGRIBUSINESS: Urban agriculture and food security. Urban agriculture includes agricultural activities as well as related processing and marketing activities and affiliated agribusiness ventures. Read here The ever growing population has brought with it a demand for more food to ensure food security.The rapid urbanization has put pressure on the land as more structures for houses,companies and stores are competing for available land ,thus urban agriculture is the key to ensure food security. By 2020 the developing countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America will be home to some 75% of all urban dwellers, and to eight of the anticipated nine mega-cities with populations in excess of 20 million. It is expected that by 2020, 85% of the poor in Latin America, and about 40-45% of the poor in Africa and Asia will be concentrated in towns and cities. Urban agriculture may improve both food intake by providing improved access to a cheap source of proteins and the quality of the food may improve as families involved in urban farming eat more fresh vegetables than other families.The contribution of urban agriculture to food security and healthy nutrition is an important asset to urbanization. Urban farmers produce substantial amounts of food for urban consumers aside from producting for their own consumption needs, large amounts of food are also produced for other categories of the population for sale. According to UNDP 1996; FAO 1999 , 200 million urban residents provide food for the market and 800 million urban dwellers are actively engaged in urban agriculture in one way or another. The international development research center(1998) shows that urban agriculture to a large extent complements rural agriculture and increases the efficiency of the national food system because it provides products that rural agriculture cannot supply easily such as perishable products, that require rapid delivery upon harvest. Food that can substitute for food imports and can release rural lands for export production of commodities are also added advantage of urban agriculture. Urban agriculture is as an important strategy for poverty alleviation and social integration as the participants in the project may feel enriched by the possibility of working constructively, building their community, working together and in addition producing food and other products for consumption and for sale. This is the case of former convicts that have returned to their communities to practice urban agriculture and keep youths out of drugs. see Benefits of urban agriculture is not limited to food security but encompasses the environment,as its eco-friendly.Farmers use wastewater for irrigating their farms when they lack access to other sources of water or because of its high price. The use of fresh (untreated) wastewater has the additional advantage for urban farmers because it contains a lot of nutrients. Technologies such as hydroponics , drip irrigation, zero farming substantially reduce water needs and health risks and are of value in the urban environment and can be found in many cities. Urban agriculture impact the green effect and cleaning of the city by turning derelict open spaces into green zones and maintaining buffer and reserve zones free of housing, with positive impacts on the micro-climate.

Pet protector.

The effect of ticks and fleas on pets is not a small issue and the pet and pet owners are seeking protection. Now pets and super pet owners can heave a sigh of relief with their pet protector. This metal tag keeps your flurry friends tick,fleas,mosquitoes free for 4-years. A simple one time investment will save you a lot of money,several trips to your groomer and most importantly save your pet's life. Pet Protector repels ticks and fleas from your pet, – the Pet Protector Disc is 96.97% effective and 100% safe for your pets, your family and your environment. This non-invasive, natural defense system requires more time to begin functioning than chemical anti-parasite products. After attaching the disc, 7 to 20 days are needed for the protective field to form, depending on the size and weight of the animal. It is important to understand that Scalar waves do not kill existing ticks and fleas on the animal, but rather act as a preventative, hence before attaching the Pet Protector Disc to your pet’s collar, it is important to completely remove ticks and fleas from the pet also fumigation of premises and kennels is necessary. Pet Protector’s Scalar waves does not have any negative effect on the health of your dog or cat as this product can even be used freely on sheep or horses and other living beings. Therefore, there is no limit regarding the age of the animal, its size or limited by any medical conditions,even safe in pregnant animals. Its save,cheap and easy to use.This will be very handy for horses,because of the deadly mosquito-borne diseases that are often fatal. Buy now

Strategic deworming in cows and the impact on reproductive status.

A strategic parasite control program in cattle is very important,but the emphasis on the dairy herd is very crucial. Farmers,herdsmen know the value of strategic worming programme as its success plays a large role in healthy reproduction, which ultimately leads to more milk production. A strategic deworming program allows a growing heifer to decrease parasite burdens and helps her focus on the really on feeding, disease prevention and growing to an appropriate breeding weight which will be a scaffold for future reproductive potentials. Animals kept on pasture need to be properly accessed, many farmers tend to mix pasture rearing in their production phase so as to reduce the cost of grains without reducing targeted daily weight gain. Parasite control is key to success of production as pasture must be managed for forage quality and limitation to parasite exposure. When animals are well fed with balanced ration ,this nutritional stability aids the immune system to fight off any disease. Animals succumb to infections basically because of stress,and stressors are of various types and forms. When the immune system is free from having to fight worms ,it can help it focus on fighting off other pathogens that might drag heifers down. The impact of stress is increased when worms are present. When the heifer is parasite-free ,there is a chance to recover from stressful times that occur in the young heifer’s development. Parasite control helps curb anorexia. The declining appetite that can occur with intestinal worm infections often leads to more days on feed to get to breeding, with less gain per day. If the heifer can gain weight sooner with the help of good parasite control, she will breed sooner and, as a result, calve sooner. An efficient rearing programme can essentially change the trajectory of her reproductive cycles for the rest of her life. Happy cows give more milk and hence more profit for the farmer,achievable with a strategic parasite control program. These programme allows the cow to improve her body condition for calving as well as sustain productive milk output. When a cow is in a better body condition, she has the ability to sustain her own life, but also that of a calf inside her. A better body condition allows her to begin ovulating and cycling sooner resulting in early conception. A cow that starts production early can maintain her spot at front-line of the milking parlor instead of being forced to propped up for the rest of her life to meet the standard.

Dogs,dog-lovers and the brown dog tick control .

Ticks,ticks,ticks and more ticks. These creatures are not only a nuisance to dogs but dog-lover and owners as well. Brown Dog ticks can damage or irritate a dog's skin and they cause a fever, anorexia or anemia. The race to make the dogs tick-free is an unending one with resistance of the ticks to common chemical preparations as the major factor. The ticks are eradicated usually with 3 approaches; 1)spraying the dogs with acaricides and 2) fumigation of premises and 3) the use of tick repellent collars. The Brown Dog Ticks can drive doglovers, dog owners and their pets to extreme measures,such as getting rid of their dogs, throwing many possessions away or even moving ─ to control the ticks, which breed indoors and hide in places that are practically impossible to reach. Dog owners,dog-lovers and pest control companies know pesticides that contain permethrin will not control the Brown Dog Tick,rather the chemical fipronil works in most situations. Dog owners , dog lovers and veterinarians should watch for waning of the chemical some months after application. The common signs of waning effect of the fipronil is that the ticks appear to be alive and swelling within months after treatment. This is the major reason the application is done 2 times in 3 months for better coverage. The Brown Dog Tick normally hides in nooks and crannies of the house where you'd never find them, and they spend about 90-95 percent of their time away from the dog. dog-owners and doglovers can use pesticides to control the ticks. Brown Dog ticks can complete their lifecycle inside people's homes, unlike most ticks, which spend most of their lifetime outside. A female Brown Dog Tick can lay up to 5,000 eggs in its lifetime and this population in a home, will spell doom .The elimination of places where ticks live and breed is the one of the best practices for tick control. Homes with unhygienic practices and disposition will be a very good breeding site,thus ensure you rid your home of dirt, waste and unnecessary clutter. A home with functional interiors and well spaced environment where chemicals can easily be applied will be a better prototype to keep ticks out.

Dengue, Chikungunya death trail.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has witnessed five deaths due to dengue and one from chikunguniya since September 1, even as the premier hospital continues to get hundreds of patients suffering from the vector-borne diseases. "AIIMS has witnessed a total of six deaths due to vector-borne diseases this month. Since September 1, five of the patients have died due to dengue and one from chikungunya," a senior authority at AIIMS told IANS on condition of anonymity. According to the official, the last death was of a 30 year-old man, who tested positive for dengue in the first week of the month. He died on September 9. "The victim succumbed due to complications from dengue on September 9. He was a resident of east Delhi," said the official. Last week, over 400 patients tested positive for chikungunya at AIIMS, taking the cases being treated by the hospital alone to nearly 900. Speaking to IANS, Lalit Dar of AIIMS' Department of Microbiology told IANS: "Cases testing positive for chikungunya are rising. Till now some 885 samples have tested positive for dengue, of which over 400 are new ones in the last two weeks." However, the civic bodies data shows a lower count. According to it, the total number of chikungunya cases in Delhi stood at only 560 till September 3, while the total dengue cases were 771. Following the rise in vector-borne diseases, which also includes malaria, the Cabinet Secretary has directed the health authorities at the central and state governments and municipal corporation level to increase public awareness, with the aim of prevention and also ensure availability of medicines. Among those affected by the mosquito-borne diseases are a number of doctors of both central and Delhi government hospitals, which has led to staff crunch in many departments. Government-run Safdarjung Hospital officials told IANS that 10-12 senior faculty members have tested positive for chikungunya, while at least 25 junior doctors, including senior and junior residents, are suffering from chikungunya and dengue

How to make natural pesticides to kill ticks.

A traditional treatment prepared from a woody shrub is highly effective at protecting cattle against ticks in southern Africa.The University of Greenwich team in collaboration with the University of Zimbabwe, carried out the research. The team pulped and soaked the Lippia leaves in water to produce an extract which could be sprayed on cattle easily. The Lippia javanica, widely consumed to alleviate symptoms of fever is also used by some farmers to make a pesticide,which is cheap and easy to produce.Cattle are extremely vulnerable to ticks, mites and flies which can transmit blood parasites, cause irritating wounds and then infections. These ticks are a cause of severe economic loss as many infested animals die and those that survive rarely put on weight as they are debilitated thus producing little or no by-products. The use of the perennial plant at the proper concentration and dosage is as effective as the chemicals used and the ease of accessing shrub's leaves makes it an easy alternative. The shrub can easily be harvested from abundant bushes in the wild and can also be easily grown from seed. The farmers only needs to take the time to harvest and prepare the Lippia extract instead of buying expensive commercial synthetic products.

RESEARCH: Cancer medicine from cucumbers.

RESEARCH: Cancer medicine from cucumbers. The bitter flavor in wild cucurbits -- the family that includes cucumber, pumpkin, melon, watermelon and squash -- is due to compounds called cucurbitacins. The bitter taste protects wild plants against predators. The fruit and leaves of wild cucurbits have been used in Indian and Chinese medicine for thousands of years, as emetics and purgatives and to treat liver disease. A recent study have shown that cucurbitacins can kill or suppress growth of cancer cells. RESEARCH: Cancer medicine from cucumbers. The new research by University of California - Davis published in science journal has shown that curbing this bitterness made cucumber, pumpkin and their relatives into popular foods, but the same compounds also have potential to treat cancer and diabetes.Bitterness is known to be controlled by two genetic traits, "Bi" which confers bitterness on the whole plant and "Bt," which leads to bitter fruit. This research used the latest in DNA sequencing technology to identify the exact changes in DNA associated with bitterness.The researchers were able to identify nine genes involved in making cucurbitacin, and show that the trait can be traced to two transcription factors that switch on these nine genes, in either leaves or the fruit, to produce cucurbitacin. The new research sheds more light on how domestication changed cucumber genetics to make the fruit more edible. Understanding this process open up new approaches to developing other food crops based on plants that are naturally either inedible or poor in nutrition. #cross breeding #selective breeding #biotechnology.